List of Foods High in Purines

Exactly what are purines and why would anyone care how much is in certain foods? Just like people with diabetes must watch their sugar intake or those who suffer from high blood pressure watch their salt usage, people who suffer from gout must watch their purine intake.

Definition

• Purines are a colorless, crystalline, nitrogen-containing organic base found naturally in DNA and RNA, the building blocks of genetic makeup in plants and animals, including humans. When this material breaks down in the body as cells die and are recycled, it creates uric acid. This is normally healthy, since uric acid is an antioxidant and prevents damage to the lining of blood vessels. Uric acid remains in the blood and gets passed through the kidneys, but sometimes it can build up. When this happens, a person is more likely to develop gout.

Gout

• Gout is a form of arthritis and usually affects one joint at a time, often the big toe. Symptoms can include sudden intense pain and swelling, and the joint may be warm to the touch and develop red or purple skin. It is caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in the joint cartilage, which are later released into the fluid surrounding the joint. The disease goes through different stages: asymptomatic (higher uric acid levels but no other symptoms), acute (pain and inflammation of the joint), interval (the periods between acute attacks), and chronic (permanent damage to the joint and sometimes the kidneys).

Why Diet is Important

• Certain foods are high in the purines that break down into uric acid, so people with gout or an hereditary risk of developing the disease should watch the foods they eat and avoid those high in purines. Although not a cure for gout, diet changes can be helpful. Still, medication is generally needed to control the disease. Not surprisingly, a 2004 study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine reported that diets higher in protein (primarily red meats and seafood) were more like to cause gout. Cooking, particularly boiling, of foods high in purines, seems to reduce the purine content.

Foods to Avoid

• Many of the organ foods, such as liver, heart, spleen, and sweet breads, are highest in purines. One of the highest is theobromine, an alkaloid with a structure similar to that of caffeine. It is found mainly in cocoa beans, which are the main ingredient in chocolate (particularly dark chocolate), but is also found in tea leaves and cola nuts. Brewer's and baker's yeast also tend to be higher in purines, as do edible Boletus mushrooms and sardines packed in oil.

  Foods moderately high in purines include beef, poultry (chicken, turkey, and goose), most fish, shellfish (mussels, lobster, scallops, and shrimp), pork (including sausage), veal, and venison.

  In addition, gout sufferers should avoid alcohol, especially beer, and maintain an ideal body weight. Medicines to be avoided include aspirin, water pills, and some immune system suppressors like cyclosporine, which can make the kidneys retain uric acid.

Food to Eat

• Some of the best low-purine foods include a wide variety of vegetables (asparagus, cabbage, beans, lettuce, radishes, corn, potatoes, and carrots) and fruits (grapes, apples, bananas, oranges, and melons). Also included are many nuts (Brazil, hazelnuts, and peanuts), cheeses (cheddar, edam, cottage, and Limburger), pasta made with egg, and whole grains. Most gout diets recommend plenty of fluids in the form of fruit juices or water.